


Little Thief

by Omoni



Series: Slayers Revisited [9]
Category: Slayers (anime)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-24
Updated: 2010-10-24
Packaged: 2017-10-12 20:59:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 851
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/129015
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Omoni/pseuds/Omoni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An admiring Yuki tries to emulate her skilled swordsman of a father... in a bad way. Occurs before "The Blood That Runs Deep" and contains spoilers.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Thief

**Author's Note:**

> Writer's Note: A prompt from Pharoah 999. It takes place after my series of fics and contains spoilers.

It was a standard, once every few months trip. Lina and Gourry tried their best to make it to Zephilia, especially considering how much Yuki and Ana loved their aunt (and her fuzzy and gigantic dog-like friend). They had made it dozens of times before, and it was like second nature.

So why the hell was it so hard right now?

"Ana-chan," Lina said slowly, trying very hard not to explode, for she knew how unhelpful it would be to scream. "Where is your sister?"

Ana hid her face in her bushy curtain of hair, refusing to come out. Her hands were held behind her back, and she kicked at the dirt with one foot – the standard stance of a guilty kid. "I dunno," she muttered.

"Liar," Lina answered, arms crossed. "Where is your sister?"

Gourry peered over his shoulder, his hands busy with the tarp-ties for the tent. "Maybe she went to take a pit-stop," he offered.

"Like hell," Lina answered. "Ana-chan knows something. Where is your sister, Ana-chan?"

Ana's head lowered further, the tips of her ears burning bright red. "Wenttotheforest," she mumbled.

Lina wasn't fooled. "Why?"

"Todosomfing."

"What, Ana-chan?"

"Promisednottotell."

Lina growled – quietly at first before escalating into something louder. Gourry's hand went to her shoulder in an instant, and she scowled, muttering under her breath about husbands and first born daughters and death.

"Ana-chan, we have to kip in for the night and it's getting dark," Gourry said with a slight smile. "Sometimes few lesser demons pop up in the forest at night, and-,"

Ana's head shot up, her eyes huge. "She went to practise swordplay in the forest!" she yelped.

Lina's eyebrows shot up, looking at Gourry from the corner of her eye, but he didn't so much as blink. "So what?" Lina replied. "Why is that such a big deal?"

"Uh…" Ana's face went red.

Gourry sighed and went back to the tent, rummaging through the bags carefully. Lina suddenly got a bad feeling about that, and she glowered at her youngest with her best glower. "Yup," he reported. "She took my sword."

"Dammit!" Lina snarled, wheeling away from both Ana and Gourry and stomping towards the forest. "All I wanted was to head home and harass my sister and maybe scare the crap out of some merchants and this is what I get?" Her voice faded into the trees as she walked away. "Thieving daughters who play with swords and a husband who eats onions before bed…"

Gourry reddened at this, but Ana pretended not to notice. "Mom's gone crazy again, huh?" she said flatly.

"I'm more worried about your sister," Gourry smiled weakly.

* * *

Lina found Yuki holding the sword awkwardly in front of a sapling, her arms shaking from the weight of the blade. She was stronger than most girls her age, but the sword in her hands was designed for a male warrior more than twice her age.

"Yuki-chan!" Lina shouted, lunging forward and snatching the sword out of her hands, then smashing her fist onto the top of the blonde head. "What have I told you about stealing your father's sword?"

Yuki rubbed her head and scowled. "Make sure I don't leave any evidence of my crime?"

Lina smiled dangerously, her eyes flashing. "You're a smartass, you know."

"I learn from the master."

"What is it about this sword, huh?" Lina demanded, holding the sword awkwardly – it was heavy for her as well. "Do you like feeling your muscles scream in pain? Do you like not being able to carry things for days afterward?"

Yuki's scowl intensified. "No," she answered. "It's not that at all."

"Then what is it, Yuki-chan?"

She sighed. "I just thought that by starting with a bigger sword I would be able to get stronger faster. If I get used to big swords, small swords will be easier."

Lina froze, knowing logic when she heard it. "But Yuki-chan," she said slowly, trying to match her words with her thoughts. "It's better to start with a sword suited for you, especially since _this_ sword was made for your father."

"I know," Yuki nodded slowly, her head lowering.

Lina thought for a moment. "So why steal it? Why not just ask me to make one for you?"

"Because…" And here she started mumbling. "I didn't want to ask you about it. I wanted to be strong on my own, like you were."

Lina blinked. "Me?"

"Uh huh. By the time you were twelve, you were almost on the road."

Lina smiled, ruffling Yuki's cap of hair affectionately. "But you're you, Yuki-chan. Not me."

Yuki batted at her hands. "But you're a hero!"

Lina grinned. "Mm, true," she replied. "But you can be a hero in your own time. In your own way. I don't what a copycat daughter!"

Yuki blinked, smiling a little. "I'm not copying you," she answered. "I'm copying _Dad_. He's _cool_."

Lina glared, her smile fading. "Your father can't even throw a fireball," she answered. "Get your ass back to the camp before I set it on fire, Yuki-chan."

She did, but it came close, anyway.


End file.
